West Bromwich Albion v Palace

The Hawthorns, Saturday 3.00pm

FA Cup

Team news

Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis is set to shuffle his pack for this FA Cup tie after a busy Christmas period in the league.

Midfielder Stuart O'Keefe could start after recovering from a hamstring problem and Lewis Price is likely to go in goal instead of Julian Speroni.

Jack Hunt, Glenn Murray, Jerome Thomas, Paddy McCarthy and Adlene Guedioura are still sidelined.

West Brom defender Billy Jones won't play after suffering concussion and a cut eye in the win over Newcastle on New Year's Day and striker Victor Anichebe (groin) is also out.

West Brom (from): Foster, Myhill, Daniels, Jones, Ridgewell, Olsson, McAuley, Lugano, Brunt, Sessegnon, Amalfitano, Mulumbu, Berahino, Yacob, Vydra, Long, Anelka, Morrison, Popov, Dawson, Reid, Sinclair, Gera, Rosenberg.

Palace (from): Speroni, Price, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Parr, Mariappa, Moxey, Puncheon, Kebe, Jedinak, Bannan, O'Keefe, Williams, Bolasie, Gayle, Chamakh, Jerome, Wilbraham.

Quotes

Keith Downing

"The club is trying to get the right person in. My remit was to make sure the team was right, get as many points as we could over the Christmas period.

"And just because we've been unbeaten doesn't make me the best coach in the world. My job was to galvanise the players, get the results before the next man comes in. We're into January, this is an important month in the football year and the quicker we get it done, great.

"I have been told to carry on - I will set up for Friday and into Saturday (for the FA Cup game against Crystal Palace). Once this week is over and we get normality I'm hoping something might get done."

Danny Gabbidon

"I don't know what's in the manager's mind. At the end of the day, it's another game and one we want to win. Sometimes cup runs can help, sometimes not.

"It's something up to the manager whether he wants to change players but sometimes when you're in a run of form, you want to keep playing as well.

"You just look forward to the next game; it's one we want a good result from. Competition is good for places, the new manager has come in and he's going to have his own ideas.

"There will be areas we need to improve on and the boss will have his eye on certain players he wants to bring into the team.

"We'll see what happens in the next few weeks. If we can bring two or three more bodies in, that can improve the team. Hopefully we can then kick on for the second half of the season."

Julian Speroni

"It was very good [form over Christmas]. I think it was a very, very positive time for us. We managed to get some good points and build a team that is solid and get some good performances in and there is a lot to take from that.

"He [Tony Pulis] has been great. The lads are starting to get to know him better and I'm sure there is more to come. The manager and chairman will sit down and see what they can do in the window but we don't know."

Kevin Phillips

"I'm starting the New Year with a new chapter in my football career after leaving Crystal Palace earlier this week. I had a clause in my contract which allowed me to leave the club in early January if both parties were happy for me to do so and so I've left by mutual consent.

"I was doing so much traveling from my home in the Midlands, staying in hotels and not even getting a minute's worth of first team football. In the first five or six months of the season I've hardly kicked a ball.

"When I explained this to Palace boss Tony Pulis, he understood my reasons; this is my last season before I retire and want to finish my career getting game time and hopefully scoring a few more goals."

West Bromwich Albion - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
14th	20	4	9	7	21

Full league table

West Bromwich Albion - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
8	1	3	4	9	13

Full form table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
02/11/2013	League	West Bromwich Albion	2 - 0	Crystal Palace
26/04/2010	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 1	West Bromwich Albion
26/09/2009	League	West Bromwich Albion	0 - 1	Crystal Palace
12/03/2008	League	West Bromwich Albion	1 - 1	Crystal Palace
01/12/2007	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 1	West Bromwich Albion

All time results

Last meeting

West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Palace

Saturday November 02 2013

West Bromwich Albion: Myhill, Jones (Berahino, 31), Ridgewell, Mulumbu, McAuley, Olsson, Amalfitano, Morrison (Yacob, 73), Long, Sessegnon (Vydra, 86), Brunt

Subs not used: Popov, Rosenberg, Lugano, Daniels

Goals: Berahino 44, McAuley 83

Palace: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Dikgacoi (Gayle, 79), Gabbidon, Delaney, Bannan (Bolasie, 65), Jedinak, Chamakh, Guedioura (Puncheon, 22), Thomas

Subs not used: Price, Mariappa, Phillips, O'Keefe

Bookings: Thomas